LUXE writer and photographer, Masako Teddy, here crafts a story full of heart and human connection. Detailing an encounter at Karuizawa Lake Garden, experiencing Head Gardener, Minori, as she crafts a paradise connected to the deep history of the town.
First meeting Minori Murayama
In April, I met her amidst the 33,000m2 of forest within the Karuizawa Lake garden. She was gently holding onto a number of cut tulips she’d been forced to uproot after they’d been nibbled on by a mouse. She looked just like a forest fairy sadly grasping a bouquet.
Afterwards, I went to meet her almost daily, if only to verify if she was indeed human. But it was a desire to inform everyone about the beauty of that shared moment that led me to write this feature about the wonderful garden that Minori lives in harmony with.
Minori was raised in Tokyo, and spent five years working at a garden centre. She first became an employee of Lake Garden in 2012 and remains so to this very day. As head gardener, every day consists of hard work managing the garden and providing education.
In the Garden, the Breathing of Souls
Every day, Minori devotes herself to gardening, in a state of spiritual communication with the flowers and trees, and with the small animals that gather there. She smiles at the gently blooming flowers, listens to the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves, and exchanges greetings with visiting butterflies. Seeing her there, you can sense how the garden is more than just a physical space; it’s full of the breath of life, and a dwelling place of the spirit. To gardeners, the garden is like a great friend, a source of inspiration, and a reason to find joy in life.
A few photos from the article, all made by LUXE photographer, Masako Teddy.
Click here to read the full article at the online edition of LUXE.